Poll: Greater attention grabber: "sex" or "free"?

[Skinny Razor]

Nothing to complicate here, just wondering what a super-scientific field study like an Escapist poll would discover to be the more powerful attention grabber between "sex" and "free"?

I know what I think, but I don't want to taint the potential population data.

 

[DevilWolf47]

Considering how much of a hot topic free condoms in schools are nowadays, i'm willing to call it a tie. But "Free" is one people appreciate more openly, so i'm going to have to vote the latter.

 

[Dark Knifer]

For most people, I'd imagine sex. Although I tend to ignore both in advertisements because it is never is free, and there is generally a lack of sex (ie, evony)

 

[manaman]

I saw the word sex in the title. So I had to check in and see what that was about.

So yeah, what was the other word again?

 

[lordsandro]

Both will be quite good.
But the greatest attention grabber is "free sex".

 

[Cain_Zeros]

The combination of the two. If you see a sign that says "Free sex", you're gonna go see what the hell's going on. The place doing it'll probably also be shut down pretty quickly, but that's an entirely separate issue.

Edit: Ninjas, damn.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

"Sex", probably. And not for the reason you'd think.
For me, personally, it invokes a sort of "oh christ, what is this shit" reaction. "Free" is just everywhere, so it's mostly ignored.

Think of the amount of times you have skimmed over something that said "FREE" in big, neon capital letters. It doesn't even register.
And now think of "SEX" used the same way. You will stop - perhaps even scroll up, if necessary - just to see what the fuck it is on about.

I guess some people might just be like "hurrdurr teh sax? lol k i want sum". I would like to think most of the time it is for my reason, though.

EDIT: Oh, what would make me more likely to click on a link. Right. Whoops.
All wake and no sleep so on so forth.

Neither. There is no way either of those links will be anything but dodgy.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

"Free" is actually an attention withdrawer. You see "Free" so much that people have learned to distrust it. "Only" is actually better now.

We've tried it at work. "Only 1p" sells far more than "FREE!".

 

[pharaoh malik]

I saw the word sex in the title. So I had to check in and see what that was about.

So yeah, what was the other word again?

Sadly I too did just that.

I guess that sums up my answer.

 

[Ham_authority95]

EDIT: Fuck it. People have learned better than to look into "Free" stuff, so I'm guessing "Sex" because it's an instinct for a lot of people.

 

[Mechalemmiwinks]

Yeah, "free" carries the implication of an exchange that probably sucks on my end.

"Sex". on the other hand, doesn't catch my eye b/c half of the internet has a banner that says something like "meet local girls in your area" and something about "sex".

I'd say you should poll "Lactating" vs "Batman".

 

[SimuLord]

The word "free" is far more effective when it immediately precedes the word "beer". Which suggests that "beer" is more powerful than free, sex, or free sex.

 

[The Rockerfly]

Free Sex

Actually scrap that either I am dating her or she is a going to be one hell of a nasty whore.
Probably sex then because it is a primal instinct, even the most basic bacteria want to reproduce.

 

[archvile93]

Sex, but only because it's far more taboo to see that plastered on a wall than free. The strange will always grab your attention better than the ordinary.

Edit: Just realized you said only for online links. In that case, include "free online equals scam so avoid" in addition to what I said first.

 

[Dags90]

"Free" is actually an attention withdrawer. You see "Free" so much that people have learned to distrust it. "Only" is actually better now.

We've tried it at work. "Only 1p" sells far more than "FREE!".

Pretty much this. As soon as I see the word "Free" in an online banner my brain goes "scam, don't look into its eyes or it'll steal $5", but if I see a hot naked dude on some banner I'll appreciate the hot naked dude for a few seconds, regardless of the content of the ad.

 

[TheWwwizard]

What about free sex? oh a poll... definitely sex, no one believes the word "Free" anymore.

 

[Hashime]

I avoid both by instinct when on the internet. Printed media is another story, and free grabs me more especially with food.

 

[minarri]

I've become a bit immune to "free" since on the Internet it's usually followed up by an asterisk which nullifies the effect.

I went with "sex" since it's a bit of a taboo subject in most circles.

 

[stonethered]

I saw the words free and sex in the same sentence.

That makes this one of three things; a scam, a sting, or awesome.